Establishes the relocated worker grant program

• Democratic2

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Jeremy Cooney says this is needed

Recent census data revealed the number of people in the New York City metropolitan area is growing while upstate is experiencing population loss. This bill improves the economic standing of upstate by attracting the talented and diverse workforce it needs for long term sustainable growth. By defraying relocation expenses of workers moving to cities outside of New York City, upstate will be a more viable destination for workers and families who want an affordable cost of living and new employment opportunities, including remote working options. As the upstate population declines and ages, the "Big 5" cities must attract new and diverse talent to build tomorrow's workforce. In a competitive workforce market, upstate cities cannot always compete with the higher wages of large metropolitan areas across the nation. As such, we must be intentional and aggressive in workforce attraction and this program would help financially incent vize this population growth. Importantly, this grant program also provides an equitable solution for first generation graduates by offering affordable geographic centers when looking to enter the workforce. Furthermore, work is more mobile today and New York must adapt to capitalize on the rise of remote work- ing. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this trend with more people choosing to work from home or in a co-working space. This bill allows individuals to be compensated for relocation expenses such as home dosing costs, purchasing computing equipment, access to broadband, and fees related to a co-working space.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.